Perv Filmed Up Young Women's Skirts With Phone Hidden In Tennis Racquet

Secret Racquet: Hemming

A pervert, who taped mobile phones to the strings of two tennis racquets to film up young students skirts outside a busy tube station, has been warned he may be locked-up.

Filming via a small hole he cut in one of the racquet's cover's 27 year-old Jake Hemming targeted women entering and leaving Tooting Broadway Underground Station.

The first-time offender, of Queenswood Gardens, Wanstead, east London ironically appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court where he will return for sentencing on August 12.

He pleaded guilty to one count of outraging public decency by behaving in an indecent manner, namely filming up women's skirts with a mobile phone concealed in a tennis racquet in Tooting Broadway, Tooting on November 23, last year.

The court was shown a photograph of the racquet, which had a mobile phone taped to the strings and then disguised when the cover was placed over the top.

District Judge Barbara Barnes announced: "The allegation is that in some way the defendant had rigged a camera up on a tennis racquet and was taking photographs of individuals, using the tennis racquet at an angle up individuals skirts at the tube station.

"When his home address was searched another racquet was found similarly set-up to take photos." 

Prosecutor Mr. Claudius Taylor-Sonko told the court: "After being seen at the station he was seen filming another girl."

Hemming has been banned from the Tooting Broadway area until his sentencing, which the probation service asked for more time to prepare a report for because the offence was "sexually motivated."

Hemming's lawyer Mr. Niall Hearty said: "In short, he's found this a difficult period and cannot come up with a proper explanation as to why he committed the offence."

Tooting Broadway Station

The defendant reported his perversion to his GP, who referred him to a counsellor and Hemming has completed 12 one-hour sessions and booked six more.

"The counselling is in regard to this behaviour in this instance," added Mr. Hearty, adding the expert and the GP will complete reports for sentencing.

"It does seem unusual at this age he's come to the attention of the criminal justice system for this offence," said DJ Barnes. "He's admitted the offence and now has a conviction."

She told Hemming, who was dressed in a dark grey suit, light blue shirt and dark blue striped tie: "The court sentencing you will need to hear more information on your personal circumstances.

"This offence was some time ago and people will need to know what's happened since and the risk of this happening in the future.

"I've heard from your lawyer that you have already taken steps to help yourself and we will all have to see what happens.

"In the light of the seriousness of your behaviour I've got to impose a condition. You must not enter the Tooting Broadway area.

"These offences are all said to have been committed in these areas. I've seen the photos and it was a deliberate decision of you to be in Tooting to take photographs.

"I will ask for an all-option report. That means the court may decide the offence is so serious only a sentence of imprisonment can be justified.

"I'm of the view this passes at least into the community order threshold, if not custody."